Green Space Goal

Overview

One could argue that achieving ecological sustainability in cities begins with
green space. Because the benefits of trees and natural vegetation are so
comprehensive and interconnected, simply creating more green space within a city's
boundaries can improve the urban environment. Trees help regulate local air quality
and climate, countering the warming effects of paved surfaces and energy
consumption by providing shade and absorbing heat through evapotranspiration. Green
spaces also contribute to ecological health by breaking up the built and paved
landscape with land that filters stormwater and snowmelt, recharging groundwater
supplies and protecting lakes and streams from polluted runoff. In sufficiently-
large portions, green spaces can provide important habitat for birds and other
wildlife.

The benefits of urban green space are not limited to these ecological
services. Parks provide city residents with opportunities for exercise and
recreation. Street trees can enhance the aesthetic appeal of neighborhoods and
promote an overall sense of well being in communities; studies, in fact, have
demonstrated a connection between urban greenery and mental health. Increasingly,
green spaces are contributing to cities' local food supply, through their use as
community gardens or other urban agriculture initiatives.

Urban agriculture can
take many different forms: rooftop gardens, community gardens, and community
supported agriculture (CSA) farms in which people purchase "shares" providing
farmers with income up front and customers with produce throughout the growing
season. The form or shape of urban agriculture depends a lot on density. In
downtown areas, urban agriculture typically takes place on rooftop gardens,
balconies, temporarily vacant lots, and occasionally in public parks. Small-scale
greenhouse systems, including hydroponics, can also be found in some denser areas
of the city. As one moves out from the core urban agriculture often takes place
along rail lines or main roads. More permanent plots are usually found as the
distance from the downtown becomes greater. The final zone of urban agriculture is
the periphery, where the city merges into the countryside. Agriculture operations
in this area are usually geared towards serving the metropolitan market through
CSAs and Farmers' Markets.

Current thinking about urban agriculture encompasses
the concept of "food systems," which refers to sustainable local production and
distribution of food. By incorporating food systems into their planning process,
cities can achieve energy savings and other environmental benefits. Energy
consumption and pollution are reduced by cutting the transportation requirements
for bringing food from the farm to the plate. Locally-grown food can often be
produced with minimal use of pesticides and fertilizers. Urban agriculture provides
social and economic benefits as well. Community gardens can foster social
interaction and create educational opportunities for children. By eliminating
intermediate steps in the conventional food distribution network, urban agriculture
can result in lower prices for consumers and higher income for farmers.

Madison
supports several CSA programs, and has 23 community gardens. 14 of the 23 are
managed by an organization called the Community Action Coalition (CAC). The size
and scope of the gardens vary, from the 2.8-acre Troy Gardens to some that are a
tenth of an acre. In its 2003 year-end report, the CAC reported 402 families using
its plots, a 29 percent increase from 2002. The popularity of community gardens
appears to be growing throughout Madison, a trend that suggests that food systems
be included in the City's planning efforts. Identifying vacant land with potential
for agriculture, ensuring that agriculture is a permitted activity in open spaces
and public lands, and recognizing community gardening in the zoning ordinances are
some of the ways the City can expand opportunities for promoting Madison's local
food system.